Ninjutsu (åè), sometimes used interchangeably with the modern term ninpÅ (åæ),[1] is the martial art strategy and tactics of unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage purportedly practised by the ninja.[2][page needed] Ninjutsu was a separate discipline in some traditional Japanese schools, which integrated study of more conventional martial arts (taijutsu) along with shurikenjutsu, kenjutsu, sÅjutsu, bÅjutsu and others.
Ninjutsu, History And Tradition
While there is an international martial arts organization representing several modern styles of ninjutsu, the historical lineage of these styles is disputed. Some schools claim to be the only legitimate heir of the art, but ninjutsu is not centralized like modernized martial arts such as judo or karate. Togakure-ryÅ claims to be the oldest recorded form of ninjutsu, and claims to have survived past the 16th century.
Throughout history, the shinobi were assassins, scouts, and spies who were hired mostly by territorial lords known as daimyÅ. Despite being able to assassinate in stealth, the primary role was as spies and scouts. Shinobi are mainly noted for their use of stealth and deception. They would use this to avoid direct confrontation if possible, which enabled them to escape large groups of opposition.
Unique Publications, June 1981. Paper Back. Used - Very Good. Item #256918
ISBN: 0865680272
This is the only book on the art of ninjutsu written by Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, the 34th-generation leader of the togakure-ryu ninjutsu tradition. This best-seller contains training and fighting secrets known only to the ninja of ancient Japan.
Octavo. Sun bleached spine. Mild foxing. Hole-punched hole back cover top right corner. Clean interior text. No markings.
This information is useful for a variety of reasons. First, for those practitioners interested in developing their own martial arts business, this paper contains valuable information on what works to attract and retain customers. Secondly, this information is important to those seeking to gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of the practice of martial arts. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the information is useful for scholars ascertaining the effect that commercializing a traditional recreational activity has on the culture, practice, and development of the field.
This review includes literature from a variety of sources, including scholarly journal articles, books, and Internet websites. Little has been written concerning the specific involvement and effect of marketing practices upon the field of martial arts. However, extensive literature is available concerning marketing general sporting events, including the ways that business enterprises effect the culture of entertainment and recreational activities. In addition, extensive online sources document the involvement and history of martial arts in American culture. The combination of these two primary source categories offers insightful data concerning the evolution of martial arts marketing in the United States in the past century.
When understood as military practices, martial arts are justified by conquest and military victory (Musashi and Wilson, 2002). Soldiers are trained in combat techniques that will assure them of victory in battle. However, martial arts have traditionally included more than physical prowess. The basis of many martial arts specialties have been upon training the whole individual, so that they are mentally, physically, and spiritually prepared to meet the challenges of everyday life (Musashi and Wilson, 2002; Tsunetomo and Wilson, 2002).
Women's opportunities for competitive physical activity were limited in America until Federal Legislation, commonly referred to as Title IX, became law. It required American society to recognize a woman's right to participate in sports on a plane equal to that of men. Prior to 1870, activities for women were recreational rather than sport-specific in nature. They were noncompetitive, informal, rule-less; they emphasized physical activity rather than competition. In the late 1800's and early 1900's, women began to form clubs that were athletic in nature. Efforts to limit women's sport activity continued as they became more involved in competitive sports. This paper will present a history of women's involvement in sport prior to the federal legislation enacted to eliminate sexual discrimination in education and sport.
Josh Gold (Aikido Journal): You have a very unique area of influence that spans the traditional martial arts, law enforcement agencies, and social services, and books on de-escalation and such. I would love to get your perspective on the role of traditional martial arts in modern society and the future. However before we go there, it would be interesting and give us context if you could tell us about the historical role of the traditional martial arts?
Kacem Zoughari (Bujinkan Instructor and Researcher of Japanese history) explains in the video below. While ninjutsu was historically indeed a system of espionage, the term can be used as an umbrella term for all ninja training disciplines. In other words, martial arts can be considered a subset of ninjutsu.
Note: Modern traditional Jujutsu might be known as one generic martial art. But in Sengoku and Edo era, each clan might have their own version of jujutsu. The same can be said of any Japanese martial art that survives till today.
Ninja (aka Shinobi) were the specialised assassins, saboteurs, and secret agents of medieval Japanese warfare who were highly-trained proponents of the martial arts, especially what later became known as ninjutsu or 'the art of the ninja'. These special forces were adept at disguise, deception, and assaulting enemy positions and strongholds, usually at night when they moved like shadows in their traditional dark clothing. Employed from the 15th century CE onwards, ninjas, because of their lengthy secret training in specialised schools and mysterious anonymity, have acquired a perhaps exaggerated reputation for fantastic feats and weapons play, which makes them perfect characters for many modern comic books and computer games.
In medieval Japan, there were no fewer than 18 individual martial arts (bugei or bujutsu). Besides the more familiar ones which are still practised today such as judo, jujutsu and kendo, there were those involving horsemanship and swimming. One of the 18 was the art of the ninja or ninjutsu, which developed during the Edo Period (1603-1868 CE). However, ninjas as military special forces had been in operation since the 15th century CE and the Warring States Period (aka Sengoku Jidai, 1467-1568 CE) when the factious infighting that beset Japan required reconnaissance, intelligence and spying in order to ascertain who exactly one's enemies were or might be in the near future.
The tactics of subterfuge, ambush and trickery, as well as their use of projectile weapons, meant that ninjas did not enjoy the high reputation that samurai warriors, perhaps not entirely fairly, acquired for being chivalrous and courageous. By the Edo Period and the peace which followed from the Tokugawa domination of Japan, ninjas were no longer required in such numbers and so the formal martial art of ninjutsu developed to continue their traditions. Illustrated manuals were written as guides for would-be practitioners, the most famous being the Bansen shukai, compiled by Fujibayashi Samuji in 1676 CE.
The earliest approach to ninja training was taken by particular families of samurai warriors who passed on their skills from father or master (sensei) to son. These became the famous ninja families and explain why certain localities established long traditions of producing the specialised warriors. From childhood, a future ninja would learn to ride, swim, and handle weapons of all kinds. From the 15th century CE, ninjas were being trained in special camps which might involve entire villages. Some schools became especially famous such as the Iga and Koga schools. As leaders did not want rivals copying their tactics, all training was done orally lest written records fall into the wrong hands.
Ninjas remain a popular character element in films, comic books, and computer games in Japan, and the martial art of ninjutsu is still practised today. There are, too, many museums devoted entirely to the history of ninjas, particularly, of course, in Japan, and chief amongst these being the castle of Iga-Ueno in Mie Prefecture, one of the ancestral homes of the ninja warriors.
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As ONE Championship makes its way to Ho Chi Minh City with its inaugural Vietnam event, ONE: IMMORTAL TRIUMPH, on Friday, 6 September, we take a look at four of the most famous traditional Vietnamese martial arts.
The Chinese martial arts are a collection of hundreds of different fighting styles that developed over centuries of Chinese history. Many of the Chinese martial arts incorporate philosophical concepts that are intimately connected with Chinese religion and philosophy, especially Taoism.
There are several other ways to classify the Chinese martial arts. Some of these classification categories overlap, so that a single style may belong to more than one category. Other popular classification styles that are sometimes used are based on religion, history and family.
The Shaolin style has a history of over 1,500 years and is believed to have been started by Buddhist monks from central Asia. One of these monks, Bodhidharma, is also credited with having founded the Chan school of Buddhism, the precursor to modern Japanese Zen Buddhism.
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